verb
indited
in-DY-tid
Indited (verb) means past tense and past participle of indite: to compose or write down something such as a letter, poem or speech. Example: “He indited a long letter of apology and then burned it.”
verb
1
archaic or literary Past tense and past participle of indite: to compose or write down something such as a letter, poem or speech.
"He indited a long letter of apology and then burned it."
"The verses were indited in a careful, sloping hand."
How to use indited
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned word meaning wrote or composed.
When to use it
Archaic and literary; appears mainly in older religious and poetic English.
Memory tip
If a court is involved, the word you need is indicted, not indited.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
indicted
incited
indicated
Common pairings
indited a letter
indited these lines
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He _____ a long letter of apology and then burned it.
Etymology
From Latin indictare, meaning to declare or proclaim, which reached English through Old French enditer. The same root later produced the legal word indict.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for indited
See all rhymes for indited →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between indited and indicted?
Indited means wrote or composed and is archaic. Indicted, pronounced in-DY-tid as well, means formally charged with a crime. They sound identical, which is exactly why the confusion arises, and indicted is the word almost everyone actually wants.
Is indited still used today?
Very rarely, and only for deliberate literary effect or in older texts such as the Book of Common Prayer and the King James Bible. In modern writing, use wrote or composed.
How is indited pronounced?
In-DY-tid, with a long i in the stressed syllable, exactly like indicted.
What is the meaning of indited?
"indited" (verb) means past tense and past participle of indite: to compose or write down something such as a letter, poem or speech.
